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Born Samuel Cornelius Phillips and was the youngest of eight children. Born on a farm near Florence, Alabama to poor tenant farmers and as a child, picked cotton in the fields with his parents alongside black laborers.
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Phillips opened the Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. The Memphis Recording Service let amateurs perform, which had performers such as B.B. King, Junior Parker, and Howlin' Wolf, and would sell their performances to larger record labels. In addition to these musical performances, Phillips recorded events such as weddings and funerals, selling the recordings.
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Phillips launches his own label, Sun Records, with the release of "Drivin' Slow" by saxophonist Johnny London.
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Elvis Presley stops at Memphis Recording Service to record two songs, 'My Happiness' and 'That's When Your Heartaches Begin,' as a birthday present for his mother.
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Sun Releases 'Mystery Train' by Little Junior Parker.
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Sam Phillips signs aspiring country singer Johnny Cash and releases his debut single, 'Cry! Cry! Cry!'/ 'Hey! Porter.'
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Phillips launched a radio station called WHER and was the first all girl radio station in the nation, as almost every position at the station was held by a woman.
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Despite Presley's growing popularity, his five Sun singles fail to make a dent on the national charts. Phillips sells his contract to RCA Records for $35,000.
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Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" becomes Sun's first certified million-seller.
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Phillips launches a new label, Phillips International. Its first hit, in late 1957, is 'Raunchy' by Bill Justis
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Jerry Lee Lewis hits Number One with 'Breathless.' In April, he scores again, with 'High School Confidential.'
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Phillips sells Sun Records to Shelby Singleton.
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Phillips is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Phillips is inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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Sam Phillips died on July 30th, 2003 at the St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee of respiratory failure , only one day before the original Sun Studio was designated a National Historic Landmark. He is interred in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis.
